Grain-harvester



(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

2 Sheets-Shet 2;

6N0 Model.) v v J. N. MILLER.

GRAIN HARVESTEIL, 7 N0. 394,9 89.- Patented Dec. 25, 1888'.

WITNESSES INV'ENTOR,

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEQ JENS N MILLER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

GRAIN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,989, dated December 25, 1888.

I Application filed August 13, 1887. fierial No. 246,911. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JENs N. MILLER, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Grain-Harvesters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in harvesters of that class in which a comb projects in front and takes off the heads of the grain, while a revolving beater receives and thrashes these heads as they pass backward from the comb; and my invention con sists in the constructions and combinations of devices, which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with a part of the cover broken away.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, showing the interior. Fig. 3 is a view of the adj listing-screw and the rack and locking devices. Fig. a is an enlarged view of two of the comb-teeth, showing their construction and shape. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of the inclined chute, one of the comb-teeth, and the beatersh'aft and beaters.

In the drawings, A A represent the main bearing-wheels upon the axle A; and I5 is the main casing supported thereon, said casing being constructed of any suitable material, having its rear portion adapted to receive the grain and its front portion extending forward of the bearing-wheel. In the forward portion of the casing B a transverse shaft, 2, is suitably journaled, and on said shaft the beaters D are secured in any well-known manner. At the extremity of the front portion of the easing the comb C is permanently or otherwise secured and supported, said comb being composed of long teeth or fingers 3, as I shall hereinafter fully describe.

A narrow platform, E, extends forward in line with the left-hand bearing-wheel A, being connected with the axle thereof by bars F, and its front end is supported by a small steering-wheel, G. The bars F connect the rear end of the platform E with the main axle, the ends of which are permitted to turn in the ends of said bars when the comb and front of the machine are raised or lowered by mechanism hereinafter described. From the lower part of the casing B a stout arm or bar, H, extends bencath the platform E, and has a curved rack, I, fixed in its forward end and extending up through a slot in the platform, the upper end being connected with the casing B and supported therefrom by a stout bracerod, J.

K is a cylindrical housing, bolted upon the top of the platform E and inclosing a worm, I which meshes with the curved rack I, and by means of a crank-arm, M, upon. the upper end of this worm-shaft it may be turned so as to raise or lower the rack, and with it the front end of the machine which carries the comb.

In order to lock the worm and hold it at any proper or desired point a grooved collar, N, is fitted to slide vertically upon a spline or feather on the worm -shaft, and is pressed down by a spiral spring, 0. Upon the lower flange of this collar is a downwardly-projecting lug, P, which engages in corresponding notches or depressions upon the top of the housing K, as is shown in Fig. ii, and thus prevents the worm from rotating. When it is desired to turn the worm in either direction, the collar N is raised by means of a lever, R, and the shaft then turned by means of its crank arm or lever, so as to raise or lower the front of the machine, as isdesired.

The comb is composed of long teeth or fingers 3, made of sheet metal, the middle portion, 4-, of each being slightly concaved or trough-shaped, while the forward portions are cylindrical in cross section and taper to points, as shown in lligs. l and 5. The rear portions of the teeth or fingers are made flat, whereby they may be secured by bolts or otherwise to the front end of the main casing, and said teeth sever the heads of the grain as they come in contact therewith, both before and when struck by the beaters D. These comb-teeth also curve upwardly at C in the line of their length or from the point of attachinent to the casing or frame toward the This curvature IOO the grain and heads which are severed backward, the force of the percussion given by the heaters serving to separate to a great extent the grain from the husks. conical points of the teeth prevent the grain from sliding otlj' toward the front when the forward portion of the machine is considerably depressed, as in low grain. The rapid revolution of the heaters D, striking the grain in the curved portion (1 of the co1nb-teeth, separates it from the chaff, and at the same time it forces the whole backward and upward through the inclined chute S to the up per front portion of the casing 13. At this point a thrashirig-cylinder, T, is journaled, and a correspomling toothed bar, I", is fixed beneath this cylinder, so that the chaff, the grain, and any unthrashed heads pass through this thrashing mechanism where the work is completed.

Beneath the toothed bar I, is a fan-easing containing a fan, and the blast of air from this fan is delivered through the opening \V, just above the screen. Y, upon which the grain and heads fall after leaving the thrashii'lgcylinder. This blast of air is sufficient to blow out nearly all of the chall. through the upper rear portion of the machine and allow the grain thus partially cleaned to fall into the lower portion of the casin B.

Z is a curved direction board or plate, which throws the grain and husks downward upon the screen (t after leaving the tln'ashing-cylinder.

The mechanism for driving the heaters D and the thrashing cylimler T consi is of pulleys (1 upon the ends of their respective shafts, and a belt, I), passing over these pulleys from a pulley, c, servesto drive them at the desired rate of speed. The pulley c is fixed upon a shaft hz tving a pinion, 1], upon its Opposite end, and this pinion engages with a gear-wheel, e, lixed upon the left-hand bearing-wheel A.

Having thus describtufl my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improved harvester cmnprising the box or casing supported upon the axle of the bearing-wheels, a rotary heater, a comb projecting from the front of the casing and having the rear portion of its teeth made concave The closed in transverse section and corresponding longitudinally with the curve of the circle of the beater, the upwardly-inchnod chute through which the grain is forced by the momentum given it by the beater, a thraslling-cylinder, and stationary tlu-ashing-teeth. at the upper rear end of said chute, and means for operating the beater and cylinder, substantially as herein described.

2. The comb or gatherer projecting from the front of the machine, having the rear portion of the teeth made concave in transverse section and corresponding with the curve of the circle of the beater in longitudinal section, and having the comically-formed points, substantially herein described.

I The combination of the comb having the rear portion of the teeth made concave in transverse section, and said teeth being also curved longitudinally, as described, a heater above and at the rear of the comb and rotating in the curved portions of said comb-teeth, an upwardly and lilaclnvardly inclined chute through which the grain and chaff are forced fromv the beater, a thrashing-cyliiuler and stationarythrashing-teeth at the upper rear end of said chute, a directing-plate and screen for receiving the grain and chaft, and a fan, substantially as herein described.

.4. The main wheels, the casing supported thereon and carrying the gathering-comb at its front end, the heater, and the thrashing cylinder, the 'llatform E, and the rack passing through said platform and rigidly connccted with the casing, in combination with a screw the shaft of which is journaled upon the platform, so that the screw engages the teeth of the rack, a (n-anlt-arm by which the screw is turned to raise or lower, and gathering-comb, and the locking mechanism composed of the spring-actuated collar sliding upon the screw-shaft and having lugs to en gage corresponding notches in the screw case or frame, and the lever by which it is disengaged, substantially herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

.IENS MILLER. 

